Dispatches

Grim Report Finds Arts ‘Can’t Reboot’ After COVID Without Massive Help

A “whole of Australia public streaming platform” would help bring culture out of the institutions to the masses, and a new focus on arts education would help raise a generation better able to appreciate and contribute, the Creativity in Crisis report said. (The Sydney Morning Herald)

Emerging from the Cave

In this independent study commissioned by the Sundance Institute, Jesse Cameron Alick interviews over 70 artists and arts workers, writes about their individual experiences during the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter uprising, analyzes the state of the field now, and offers potential pathways that can take us into the future. (Sundance Institute)

How the Bobos Broke America

In this article, David Brooks argues that “the creative class has converted cultural attainment into economic privilege and vice versa,” and that the task before us is to dismantle the systems of inequalities that are found due to this dominating class. (The Atlantic) 

How Have Show Ticket Transactions Changed Since the Pandemic Hit?

The San Francisco Chronicle set out to examine the box office practices of a variety of producers and ticket vendors — some local, others national — who frequently present shows in the Bay Area. After surveying 14 theater and music companies, the experiment showed that ticketing prices, policies, and customer service are not consistent, and there is no consensus about the details that go into the cost or experience of buying a ticket. (Datebook) 

New York City Mandates Vaccines for Museum Visitors and Staff

New York City plans to require visitors and staff members at museums and other cultural institutions to be vaccinated, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday saying, “defeating the Delta variant is the best way to support cultural institutions, because it brings us all back.” (The New York Times) 

Far from Frill – Large Investments in Campus Arts Facilities May Attract Higher Tuition Students

The NEA’s Research and Analysis Director Sunil Iyengar reviews the article, Build It and Will They Come?, asking the question of whether investments in campus arts facilities are part of a larger strategy to generate revenue, and, if so, which students are left at a disadvantage? (National Endowment for the Arts) 

Place Matters: Greater Manchester, Culture, and ‘Levelling Up’

This article examines how values-led partnerships between local government and the cultural sector in Greater Manchester have allowed for a place-based response to the impacts of the pandemic, and what this means for the 'levelling up' agenda. (Center for Cultural Value)

China’s Construction Landscape Sees World Leading Investment in Cultural Infrastructure and New Limits on Skyscrapers’ Height

Last year Shenzhen saw the announcement of 10 new cultural projects, all designed by world-renowned architects. At the same time, the Chinese authorities announced last month that buildings taller than 500 metres would no longer be approved, marking the end of an era that made the country home to 10 of the tallest 20 buildings in the world. (ArchDaily) 

Amid Taliban Insurgency, Culture Sector Fears Looting as Kabul Descends Into Chaos

The Taliban said in a statement last February that it intends to “robustly protect, monitor and preserve” relics in the country, despite the fact it has a long and brutal track record of doing the opposite. (The Art Newspaper)

Iraq Reclaims 17,000 Looted Artifacts, Its Biggest-Ever Repatriation

“This is not just about thousands of tablets coming back to Iraq again — it is about the Iraqi people,” Hassan Nadhem, the Iraqi minister of culture, tourism, and antiquities. (The New York Times)

Tech as Art: Supporting Artists Who Use Technology as a Creative Medium

This report examines the creative infrastructure supporting tech-focused artistic practices and provides insight into the existing challenges and opportunities faced by artists and organizations working at the intersection of arts and technology. (National Endowment for the Arts)

Inside The Mori Art Museum’s Clubhouse Strategy

With Clubhouse, Mori Art Museum is reaching an audience that skews young and digitally active. The museum joins a growing art and culture contingent on the platform that ranges from curators to cultural organizations to museum professionals. (Jing Culture & Commerce) 

In an Age of Worsening Fires and Floods, Museums Are Reinventing Themselves

When you think of a museum’s role in climate change, you probably imagine themed exhibits, but the Frankenthaler Climate Initiative grants focus primarily on museum infrastructure and internal systems. (The Washington Post) 

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